The Bloom

The Bloom, known by healers as tessilium althae, was first observed among the gnome clans in the Levlorra Hills. The long-term fungal infection affects the skin on the head, as well as that on the backs of hands and tops of feet. A lack of fatty tissue seems to be the fungi's preferred breeding ground.
  Tessilum althae roughly translates from Gnomish as growth of little flowers, and is an accurate representation of the early stages of the disease. The Bloom presents initially as small discolorations similar to bruises (stage Ib the discolorations resemble rudimentary sketches of flowers, such as that a child might draw. These lesions are referred to as stage Ib because it is suspected that the infection first takes hold subcutaneously, without visible signs (stage Ia)
  As the disease progresses, these two-dimensional "bruises" gain depth as the infection sprouts along the skin's surface (stage II). The carbuncles continue to grow from their little flower appearance until the fungal carbuncles can reach several inches in height and diameter (stage III). In stage III, the color of the carbuncles changes from the color of the patient's skin to vivid reds and purples. The largest carbuncles may have multiple colors and can show yellow or green coloration along the edges.
  In some cases, the carbuncles can grow to obscure the patient's eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Care must be taken to regularly reduce carbuncles covering breathing mechanisms. Once growth begins, it continues to accelerate exponentially each day.
  Healing concoctions and spells can return the Bloom to an earlier stage, but no therapy has been shown to completely eradicate the disease.
  The Bloom is not necessarily a fatal disease. Careful management can arrest the infection in stage Ib or stage II. Management can be costly, however, and not all patients have the means or access to healing spells.
  Fatalities typically occur when stage III carbuncles retard or halt respiration.
  Some fatalities have occurred following ill-advised surgical removal of carbuncles. Although the Bloom is caused by a fungal infection, the carbuncles have some blood vessels that tie to the patient's circulatory system. Removal of larger carbuncles by amateur healers may lead to extensive blood loss.
  The infection spreads by close contact with patients. Family members seem to particularly prone to infection, with their lesions and carbuncles resembling those of other family members.
  Initially thought to be restricted to gnomes, tessilium althae has also been known to infect dwarfs, halfings, and humans. Elves appear to be immune, and rare cases have been reported among goblinoids.
  To date, no one has been able to identify the original source of the infection. Adventurers have explored the Levlorra Hills but have not uncovered any fungus to which the disease can be traced.
  Many gnome clans originally from the Hills have relocated throughout Tjiramor. One or two clans remain in the Hills; most of these gnomes show evidence of stage II and stage III disease.